


Hold Me Close, We're Losing Time

by AceComets



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Domestic, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-06-23 13:21:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15607179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceComets/pseuds/AceComets
Summary: When faced with once again losing Mon-El to the future, Kara decides that this time she isn't going down without a fight. Given seven days to change his mind, Kara plans to do everything in her power to remind Mon-El of the joys of Earth and why it should be his home.





	1. Day One: Can't Change What The Future May Hold

Standing out on the balcony of the DEO, Kara Zor-El couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself. She had stayed true to herself, to her beliefs and moral and come out the other side of the greatest threat they had all faced the champion. Happy endings were things of the fairy tales she read and today, she made the happy ending real for all those she loved.

Sam was free of Reign and off to give Ruby the best life she could. Things with Lena were still a little tense but for the first time in months, Kara felt hopeful that Supergirl could salvage her relationship her. Alex was finally free and clear to chase her heart's desire. J'onn was in mourning, an unfortunate circumstance that once more Kara could relate too. They had both lost their worlds, their families and somehow the universe had brought those loved ones right back to them. She had mourned her father once before and while it wasn't the same as J'onn, she was internally grieving finding out that he had survived but passed in the time she was on Earth.

And then there was Mon-El. She had said too many goodbyes to him for one life time. But even the most permanent of those goodbyes had been returned with a simple hi. He found a way back to her, through the stars and time, the unimaginable. The last few weeks had been such a strain on her mentally, physically and emotional and he had been there, his presence giving her a small light. She fought through the feelings, the desire to be him and return to that pure blissful happiness she had shared with him over a year ago.

The man that had returned to her was the one she had always envisioned him being. A leader, a hero. She felt a pang of regret for not being able to witness to those years of growth. Even with him back, so many blanks remained and for a time, she had to close herself from being filled in on them. It was a selfish thing but it hurt her to know she wasn't there. Kara knew however that she had been in his heart, just as he promised her, but it didn't fully ease the pain of not physically being there with him.

Sighing to herself, she tried to stop the flood of what if's in her mind. Their second goodbye had been easier than the first, impending death not weighing on her if he stayed, but it still hurt in a different way. His time was in the 31st century, his duty bounding him back to the Legion and the future he had committed himself to fighting for, unbeknownst to him. Yet that was gone. She had a brief moment with Imra and found out the Legion was successful, the future was saved and he had done a marvelous thing.

That future was saved but what was to become of her now? The calmness of the city should have soothed her, eased her worries and thoughts but instead it allowed her imagination to run while. Kara had closed off the memories of the past, of the nights she and Mon-El would walk the streets below hand in hand with ice cream or another sweet treat. Was it unfair of her now to want that again when she wasn't sure it could happen? Would she open herself up to pain once more?

There had been a moment on Argo with Mon-El. Such beauty surrounded her, the familiar sensation of home fulfilling a long wanted fantasy. It was such a simple Mon-El thing to do to come find her and check on her. It was hard being open, even with her sister at times, as Kara had long struggled with never wanting to be ungrateful for the gifts and chances she was given. Yet that was never the case with Mon-El. He allowed Kara such freedom to voice her thoughts and frustrations, never once making her worry that what she would say to him would come across wrong. She feel into his safety so freely.

And then he feel back. She could recall the anxiety and worry in his face in the gardens. It was seared into her memory with such power and clarity. The hesitation in his voice, the fear in his eyes that he'd say the wrong thing and hurt her. That was a look she had sadly become so used to seeing in him the last few months. When the words came, Kara found herself fighting back hope again. She had said that she was passed them so many times in the belief she could convince herself of the lie and if even a crack of that hope broke through her defense, she knew it would flood and drown her soon after.

Her dream of the two of them and her mother had been her anchor in the months without him. It kept her teethed to her life. Not even Alex had even been told of it, Kara preferring to keep it a guarded secret for only her heart. Yet Mon-El needed to know, to hear that she had been lying to herself just as much. The hope broke through, washing her body in a renewed belief that happiness was not as elusive as it pretended to be.

And then crisis after crisis followed, culminating in her now standing on this balcony let herself be pulled away by the tide of memories. Could she and Mon-El recapture that moment here or were they really as ill-fated as he had once called them in a cruel ironic twist?

"Well you did it."

His voice sounded so heavenly to her hears she was happy to be drawn into. Turning to face him, the smallest of smiles settled on her lips at his appearance.

"Just like a Greek myth. You went down to the underworld and slayed the three-headed monster and saved Persephone." He said, walking over to her as he spoke.

"Uh, I think in the myth Persephone eat pomegranate seeds and is confined to the realm of Hades forever." She countered, teasing him and his love of Greek myths. In between his bartending gigs and superhero training, he had read through every book on the Greeks Kara had before trekking out to the 'book home' to get more. It warmed her slightly to know that he had developed real interests and loves of the Earth. She had later gotten him to confess that the tales of the Greek Gods reminded him of the Daxam Gods and the plays he would stage as a young boy imitating them.

"Yeah well that just strengthens my point because the Greek Gods have nothing on you." There was that cocky, self-assured tone she had loved to his words. The lightness between them was always so easy to be captivated by. It was just another indicator to Kara that perhaps they could return to who they were before worlds and monsters and villains pulled them apart.

"Well I couldn't have done it without you." Kara said earnestly. It made Mon-El chuckle and dip his head, the red tinting his cheeks a light shade that only Kara and her vision could see. She had meant it though. So much wouldn't have been accomplished with him and she knew so much more could be were he to remain.

"No, that's not true. This victory was yours. And it was flawless." He replied, as much conviction in her words as she had in her own.

It clouded her mind again, the thought of them, and pulled her attention from him and changed her demeanor. She wanted him to remain here with her, as her partner in all things. She had asked once for him to go with her and like most things it seemed, it failed to work out as she had wanted. It was foolish and selfish to ask him once more to just give up the life he had built for himself just for her.

"What's on your mind?" He inquired.

They had agreed no more hiding things but she struggled with whether or not this was something to hide. He had certainly earned the truth from her but the same way he had feared burdening her, she feared burdening him. 

"Before we went to Argo, I just had this thought that I could be Kara Zor-El, ordinary citizen." It made her laugh to think of ordinary. "I would feel like I was home. But when we were fighting Reign and the witches, I had this moment, this realization that Argo City is not my home anymore. National City is. Earth is. And my mission is to protect it. My whole life is here."

She hadn't wanted to look at him as she said that. It was clear in her face what the biggest part of that life was and inside, she knew she was going to lose it again. The way Mon-El ducked his head and nodded, such sorrow on his face, made it so real.

"Messy. Complexed. Balancing Kara and being a hero, that's...that's who I am." She had closed off the human part of her heart after losing him. Mon-El was really the first person to show Kara how to be both, to embrace life and love and happiness and be a hero who could give that to the very people she saved. The longer she looked into his eyes, the clearer it became he was going to shatter what had been consuming her.

"I have loved fighting by your side." Mon-El said, the emotion strangling his voice, "Being there through all of it, the ups and down, the particularly tough days." He broke eye contact with her, unable to look at her.

For so long he had been in turmoil, dealing with betrayals and confusion. Seven years had given him time to find solid ground, to find a foundation to build himself upon that mattered and meant something.

"You know for a moment there, I thought that maybe this was my place. My time." His voice quivered, "But I learned some troubling things today about the future. I need to go back." There was such a shake in his voice. Kara wanted to crumble into him, wrap her arms tight around him and tell him that it would be fine, that together they would find a way. 

She took a breath, focusing her energy on remaining strong and composed once more. She couldn't break now, not when he was teetering so close to it himself.

"I can't abandon the Legion." He said, finally gaining the courage to look at her once more, "Or the world that I swore to protect right when they needs me most."

"I know you can't." Kara said, finding some kind of strength in herself. This is what he needed from her now, the understanding that he had to do this. "You wouldn't be the man you are if you did, the man I admire so much."

Mon-El sniffed. He had been expecting this, knowing Kara as well as he did. It was maybe a little silly that he needed that kick in the right direction from her but he always did. He had carried her with him for seven years doing just that.

"Well I guess we both have some saving to do." He said with a wet chuckle, breaking the tension between. He wouldn't let their last goodbye be as emotional as the first. They needed something more. 

Kara gave him a tight, forced smile, focusing on his blue eyes for once last moment. With a tiny nod, he turned from her, taking a step away from the ledge. A wave suddenly washed over her and engulfed her in a memory.

A year ago she stood in this very spot with Alex, just after losing Mon-El the first time. She had been trying to help Kara through the trauma by reminding her of her own strength. Alex had been there so fully for Kara, ready to fight another battle if just for a single moment the pain would stop. There were some battles that could simple not be won and at the time, that was one of them.

She had told Alex to never let Maggie go, to hold onto the love that she had lost due to circumstances well beyond her control. Kara realized now that Alex had done that, that she hadn't let Maggie go for nothing. She had a bigger dream, a bigger desire that Maggie could not fulfill. Was this the same for her? Was she letting Mon-El go because he couldn't fulfill her bigger dreams and desires?

"Mon-El wait!" Kara called out suddenly, pushing off the ledge and catching him by the arm before he stepped back inside. He turned towards her, his face still struggling to hold back his own emotions.

"Don't go." She said softly, voicing her true desires selfishly. His brow knotted in confusion. "Stay."

It was such a simple word. Stay. Remain. A simple word with some many consequences and outcomes.

"What?" He questioned, his heart racing. Wants and needs were so different and while it was the word he longed for, he knew he needed go instead.

Shaking her head, focusing on the words she had told Alex for strength, Kara pulled him gently to face her once more. "Stay here on Earth."

"Kara..." Mon-El sighed, confusion swimming more.

"No. You weren't wrong to think this was your place." She said, her voice growing stronger and more sure. "You led the Legion. You taught them to be heroes. I know you think you have to go, that you are duty bound to them but you have to be Mon-El, the person and the hero."

His body relaxed, his face softening as he listened so intently to her. This had been the pipe dream just minutes ago when he unloaded on Kara about leaving. She wasn't supposed to give in though, neither of them were. Heart's desires were secondary to the duty.

"I can't." He simply said, his own resolve crumbling. "Earth isn't where I belong."

"Do you really feel like Mon-El in the 31st century?" She challenged, unwavering, "I mean, aren't there things here on Earth that make you feel like this is your home more? I promise Earth needs you too. Rao knows that something else is bound to happen. Murphy's law and all that."

"Things like what?" Mon-El countered, that glint in his eye daring her to say herself. She had a fair point about Earth being as prone to trouble now as it still was in the 31st century.

"Things like..uh." Kara let out a chuckle and waved her arms about a little, gesturing to the whole of National City. "Like ribs and ice cream and movies. The books. Be human for a little bit."

Mon-El laughed, dipping his head to laugh with a shake of it. "Well to be honest, I haven't really had time lately to enjoy Earth." He whirled his finger around, signaling like she had to the city around them.

Kara's face changed, a light flashing across it as an idea came to mind. "So stay, just for a little and enjoy it. Make sure you aren't leaving right now because you feel like you have too."

It was tempting, so sorely tempting to him. Earth, this time period of Earth, was so much happier and better for him than the future. He knew that once he returned, he'd be right to work, helping Winn and Imra rally the troops, creating strategies and plans. Already the stress was weighing on him. 

Mon-El pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, his eyes narrowing in a familiar way to Kara that told her she was so close to getting what she wanted. A genuine smile graced her face as she gave his arm a squeeze.

"Please. I would really like if you could stay." She hesitated for a moment, eyes flashing away as she debated whether or not to say what she wanted. She had been giving into the wants so freely. "I don't think I can lose you again."

The words broke through Mon-El as his mind briefly flashed to just a day ago on Argo. He had whispered the same thing to Winn. Things were different now but that pull of his heart won out. 

"Seven days." He said, his eyes finding Kara's and nodding strongly. "Deal?"

"Yes. Deal." Kara said, the smile on her lips expanding as she clapped her hands together gleefully. Seven days was far more than the goodbye she had been suffering through.

Laughing, Mon-El let his own smile rest on his lips as he turned back towards the doorway.

"Hey, where are you going?" Kara questioned at his retreating figure.

Spinning on his heels so he could keep walking, his trademark grin found its' way onto his face. "Can't be human in these super suits."

 


	2. Chapter Two: I'm Losing My Mind Just A Little

 A beeping from the alarm clock filled the room that Mon-El had been asleep in, pulling him from his sleep. Blinking his eyes open, it took him a second to remember that he wasn’t on the Legion ship anymore but rather in Winn’s loft.

Pushing himself to sit up on the bed, Mon-El let out a sigh and glanced around. The place hadn’t changed that much since he had been gone. For a brief time last year, well last time for the present, Mon-El had stayed with Winn after he had agreed to let Kara train him. It had been a fun, six week stay on the sofa bed before a blossoming relationship with Kara took him to her loft instead.

Getting out of the bed, Mon-El padded around, looking at the increase in decorations and collectables. Last night, he had explained to Imra and Winn they needed to go on without him, asking them to give him just a week for a proper goodbye and a vacation of sorts. Prepared to crash at the DEO again, Winn had told him to go to his apartment and at least live in a more homey place.

Reaching the kitchen, Mon-El grabbed a filter and the coffee grinds, getting started on a fresh pot. It felt so strange to be awake and not weighed down already by impending crises and choices. There was a freedom that Mon-El had long missed.

Just as the coffee finished, there was a light knocking on the door that brought a smile to Mon-El’s lips. Glancing quickly at the digital clock on the wall, the sharp red ticks formed an 8 shape. On time just like Kara had told him.

Pulling the door open, he smiled at Kara, looking her over once and then looking down at himself, still dressed in his pj’s.

“I did say 8 right?” Kara asked as she stepped in, laughing lightly.

“Sorry, I ended up sleeping in.” Mon-El responded, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do that.”

Taking over in the kitchen, Kara offered a sheepish smile to Mon-El, pouring them both a cup of the freshly brewed coffee. It was the little things like sleeping in Kara had been counting on to convince Mon-El to stay. He hadn’t talked about the future in too much detail but from the stress lines that had grown at the corner of his eyes, Kara could tell it had been devoid of joy in his life. He carried too much tension in his shoulders know, kept things close to his chest, unable to express what he had been going through. It hurt Kara to see him with such responsibility. The thought had crossed her mind several times that sending him back to the future, back to that life that demanded so much of him would be akin to signing his death warrant.

“No, no it’s fine.” Kara said with a wave of her free hand, using the other to hand a cup of coffee over. “You deserve getting to sleep in once and awhile.”

Kara’s smile was absolutely infectious, causing Mon-El to dip his own head as he accepted the cup. “I think the last time was with you.”

Silence caught them, a similar memory flooding to each of them. That was the kind of thing that had been off limits since Mon-El’s return to the present. It hurt too much to dredge up their own past, keeping memories as secrets instead.

Yet Argo City lifted that ban. Feelings were out on the table, the little things they were dancing around no hidden and left them wide open with each other.

A smile spread on Kara’s lips as she ducked her own eyes from Mon-El, a warmth growing in her that had been dormant for so long. It was selfish of her to try and keep him her with her but after everything she had been through, after losing an entire world and her family twice over, she deserved it.

“So did you make me get up early for a reason or just for fun?” Mon-El asked, breaking their silence with a grin on his lips, sipping at his coffee.

Kara put her own cup down, grinning and nodding her head, “Uh we are going to go and get breakfast at that little place we used to go.”

Instantly Mon-El’s own face lit up, his eyes going wide with excitement as he put his coffee down, “The one with those cinnamon roll pancakes?”

“The one and the same.”

Clapping his own hands together, Mon-El bit down on his bottom lip and nodded his head. Many of his old haunts with Kara had been off limits since that single run in at the alien bar with Imra. There was a strange adjustment waking from that sleep, the adrenaline and rush of the present with mere months passing instead of years. For seven years, Imra had been a companion and friend in a time of great sorrow for Mon-El. The present had been the only time he ever felt alive and it had seemed like such a gift to share that with her. Something broke inside of him however after that single encounter with Kara and Winn. The pain that was etched in her face inscribed itself to his memory. It had been a sobering reality for him on just how much had and hadn’t changed. It altered his own course of thinking and while it took so long for him to deal with, the longer he was around Kara, the bond of his future weakened.

“You can totally go in your PJ’s too if you want.” Kara giggled.

A light chuckle dropped from his throat as Mon-El nodded. “Give me just a second and I’ll be ready to go.”

“Does that fancy ring give you super changing power too?” Kara teased as Mon-El disappeared from view for just a moment before reappearing in jeans, a shirt and his denim jacket.

Laughing, he shook his head and shrugged. “Consider it another thing I learned from you.” Heading over to the door and grabbing the keys, Mon-El looked back over to Kara. “So we flying or driving?”

Pushing up from the table, Kara offered a smile to him and clapped her hands together. “I was thinking that maybe we could walk. It’s been awhile since you’ve seen the city after all.”

“A walk sounds perfect.” Mon-El replied, pulling the door open for Kara, “After you.”

Once on the street, the two walked in perfect step, an easy quiet between them as Mon-El’s eyes darted everywhere. It felt so calm and serene, that moment that came over the city post disaster that had everyone high in spirits and hope. It was the kind of feeling that Mon-El had been waiting for.

“Miss it?” Kara finally asked, unable to pull her eyes away from Mon-El and the softness of his face.

“So much.” He breathed out, letting down the guard he had built to protect himself from being attached. “The future is so...not this.”

Folding her arms over her chest, Kara locked down, nodding before glancing at him again, “You don’t talk about the future a lot. Or well, what the future is like.”

Mon-El slowed his walking, hands dug deep into his pocket as he considered what Kara had said. There were tidbits of the future he had divulged, mainly to a very curious Winn, but the truth was of the bleakness of it. His protective mode had been activated when it came to talking about it though. Seven years had been long enough but the idea of burdening Kara with the harsh reality of what it had been like was locked away.

“Pestilence made it terrible.” Mon-El finally said, his brow tightening as he turned his head to Kara. “The cities and technologies are wonderful but there was no life. She drained everything. Joy, happiness, it was just drab.”

Instinct took over Kara’s body and she stepped closer to Kara, taking Mon-El’s arm and holding it, smiling up at him. “Well it’s not drab now.” She said, nudging him with her hip as they walked.

The intended effect worked and Mon-El let out a real laugh, dipping his head as he did and the corners of his lips moving upward as much as they would go. It wasn’t the joke. It was Kara’s presence, her ease and connection to him reminding him the burden on his soul didn’t need to remain anymore.

The pair were just a block from their little place when two firetrucks and a slew of ambulances raced down the street the opposite way of them, stopping them in their tracks.

“You know,” Kara started, her eyes following the flashing lights, “We never really got to do the ordinary, everyday, superhero stuff.”

The twinkle in her eye made Mon-El narrow his own, the smile still there and without him saying anything, Kara knew she had him. Holding up his fist, his Legion Ring glistening in the bright sunlight, he nodded.

“Wait, your ring fits in your suit?” Kara said, her eyes going wide, a little bit of envy hitting her face. “That’s way more convenient than wearing it.”

“Shall we go and superhero?” Mon-El asked, laughing as Kara nodded, already opening her shirt and taking off in the air, leaving him to chase her.

The two arrived at the scene of chaos quickly. An apartment building was engulfed in flames. Hoovering in the air, Kara quickly used her x-ray vision to scan the floors, noting where people still seemed to be trapped.

“Third, fifth and ninth floor still have people.” She said, turning to Mon-El. “You get them out and I’ll deal with the flames.”

“Understood.” Mon-El said, giving Kara a sharp nod before he dashed into the burning building. Flying to the source of flames, Kara began to use her freeze breath to kill them. Working with Mon-El and knowing that the people trapped were going to be safe quickly made fighting the fire easier on Kara. Having a partner that she could trust now, who was able to handle everything she could, made being a superhero a little easier and lighter. Within five minutes, everyone was out of the building and the fire was contained, leaving the building safe for the fireman to inspect.

Landing next to Mon-El among a cheering crowd, Kara exchanged wide smiles with him. The duo accepted the thanks from the people and fireman as a reporter pushed through the crowds to the front.

“Hi there.” She greeted, waving for her cameraman to start recording, turning towards it. “Lana Lang with Pictures News. I’m here with National City resident superhero, Supergirl and the mysterious new hero on the city.”

Kara held in a laugh as she turned to Mon-El, catching his eye.

“The mysterious man has been flying around our city for months and just the other day, aided in stopping the villain Reign. This is a Picture News exclusive as we are here with Supergirl and Mysterious Man.”

Turning towards them, Lana stuck the microphone out, zoning in on Mon-El instantly. “Who are you? Where did you come from? Are you also a Kryptonian cousin of Superman and Supergirl?”

“Uh…” Mon-El stuttered, a laugh following as he looked from Lana to Kara. This was one thing he had not been expecting. Most of his superheroing in the city had been done in the dead of the night and was followed by heading straight back to the DEO. “My name’s Mo-uh…”

“This is Valor.” Kara said, jumping in suddenly, looking to Mon-El and nodding reassuringly, placing a hand on his shoulder before turning back to Lana. “He’s a Legionnaire.”

“Valor the Legionnaire.” Lana repeated, smiling at Supergirl before focusing again on Mon-El, “How did you end up here in National City?”

“That’s a long story.” Mon-El said, taking cues from Kara, her support helping his confidence. “But I love National City and getting to protect the people.”

“And the city needs us.” Kara interrupted gently, smiling as she did, “So, up, up and away for us!”

Giving a nod to Lana, Mon-El followed Kara’s led as she shot up in the air, flying away from the scene and the reporter. They flew a few blocks before landing back in a secluded alley, laughing as they did.

“That was fun.” Kara said, that feeling that came from saving someone and doing good flooding her body.

“That it was Supergirl.” Mon-El replied, putting a little bit of emphasis on her superhero name.

“Well, Valor, you never really got a chance to do that with me before.”

“Where did Valor come from?”

Kara shrugged, bringing her hands together in front of her. It had just struck her in the moment. “You need a real superhero name. And you never told me what you went by in the Legion so, Valor seemed to suit you.”

“Well I love it.” He said laughing, scratching the back of his neck. “I never had a superhero name before.”

Silence hit them as they finally stopped avoiding looking at each other. It was another moment that was long overdue for both of them. Time and distance and everything in between kept them from getting to work together like that. Fighting big bad villains was emotionally draining and took so much out of both of them.

“I’m glad you were the one to give me my name.” Mon-El admitted honestly, stepping forward to Kara, reaching out for her hand. “It means a lot to me.”

Kara looked at their hands, her fingers in his palm and felt that charge rush through her. She had closed that off, that feeling that he invoked in her knowing it would hurt too much. With the new freedom between them, she could let herself fall into the natural, explosive chemistry she had with him.

Stopping herself, still a little afraid to pursue more with him without knowing if Mon-El would be around, Kara pulled her hand away and offered a somewhat forced smile instead.

“I still owe you pancakes, come on.”


End file.
